Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-12-13
Especial Correspondence


soon be again in the throes of n congress
siOnal session. The railroads will have
some big schemes here this winter, and
money will flow like water. number
of attempts VIII be made to amend the
interstate commerce law, and every effort
will be useI to stop the postal telegraph
schemes Jay Gould and the Western
Union will do their best to protect their
property, and a prosperous season is ut
hand for every one.
In the meantime the old lobbyists are
seen about the Washington hotels, and
the claimants who have been hanging ON
by their cyelids for the past ten years are
having their periodical Frightening up.
This occurs always at the first of Il session,
and these characters are SO strange and
varied that it is worth while to describe
them.
One old man came here when his hair
was black, his step was firm and he had
900 to his credit Now, the SlO,O0O
has gone, his hair has turned to frosted
silver and his beard is as white as the
driven snow. His laugh has become
sneer, and he goes about the hotels here
in q ragged overcoat, perpetually warm
ing his ungioved han'.s by holding them
in the side pockets of this garment. His
plump features are wrinkled and all the
| light has gone ont Of his cold blue eyes.
| He has 5000, 600 worth of cotton claims,
| feels like millionaire, and thinks he will
surely get his money.
| Another cotton claimant is q tall, thin
| man, with a surprisingly red nose. He is
a man of fine culture, and can talk the
classics with n college professor. He
quotes Cicero and Nirgi! and has great
admiration for Julius Cesar. He has had
an init nate acquaintance with the leading
men of the south, and can tell stories by
the hour Of the leading generals of the
| Confederate army. He was member of
that army, and when he came to Wash
| inrton he was sleek and well Off. His
claim has never been granted, and he is
now secdy and sad.
Billy MctiArrahan is back in all his
glory, and he has as much vitality as
when he came here before the war to
| prosecute his claim to the quicksilver
mines of the west. He was a young Irish
man, living in San Francisco, when he
| bought this Land of leading Mexican.
Other parties disputed his title and got
hold of it. Quicksilver mines We're dis
| covered upon it, and it became at once
worth millions. McG&rrahan came to
| Washington to get what he called his
| rights. lie worked for them by fair
! means and by foul. He talked and used
the ordinary methods of lobbying, and it
has been charged time and again that
leading statesmen have accepted money
| rom MIN ne h'I9 "'Sccu enough energy
to have made n dozen fortunes. He has
wasted, also, a fortune which he had
made in san Francisco, and which he
brought to Washington lie Is STILL how
ever well dressed, ana, from assoclatlng
so nluch with statesmen, mas gotGn TO
LOOK IKE one ue Is as strtiShGasa Lake
superior OAK. MS glossy oiack mar mas
turned 70 an iron gray ptII ms Step Is as
lsf!A us 'haI Oh noy' lie KNOWS every
one, and the man is unknown who does
nov MO" MN, ile sun holes lor ms
IAatli, "llu ne .eilS ms ne Is colilueh' .lll'
nc VIZ Puei ~ " u ee@'l''i 1''uo uui
ing liie coming cotisrcsS. A.. -.
+AHotilel cii''l t'c.ei "i.o'h tho new coi.-
ute =. as my II'le ~ VI,
a'io.'i,l H''S' nv 20 a.i ',o nc"
ono w W "a, iie o''